Orange Bowl moves back home

Published: Friday, November 13, 1998

MIAMI - The Orange Bowl, scrambling to secure a site for its game Jan. 2, will return to the stadium it abandoned in 1996.

The move from Pro Player Stadium - for this season only - was announced Thursday. The Orange Bowl Committee feared a scheduling conflict with the NFL playoffs at Pro Player Stadium, where the Miami Dolphins have first choice of dates.

After exhausting other options, the committee signed a one-year contract with the city, which owns the Orange Bowl stadium.

The NFL declined to assure the Orange Bowl that any wild-card playoff game in Miami that weekend would be scheduled for Sunday, Jan. 3, rather than Jan. 2. The Sugar Bowl, scheduled for New Year's night, refused to switch dates with the Orange Bowl. ABC, which will televise the Orange Bowl, ruled out two other dates.